Lord of All, to Thee We Give
Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29:1-11; Acts 10:34-43
Many years ago, I heard it said that ministers would be wise to hold their open Bible in one hand and the news from the world in the other. That has been excellent advice.
I was reading Psalm 29 earlier in the week and found my thoughts interrupted by what I’d been reading in recent headlines and news articles. The psalm, written by King David, poetically and reverently described the power and majesty of God. He declared that the Lord sits enthroned; holy splendor surrounds him; angels praise him. David says that God, who has reigned from the beginning of time and is clothed in glory, will forevermore be King. The psalm ends with a worshipful prayer that God will strengthen His people and bless them with peace.
I closed my Bible and checked the news app on my iPad. There were many articles detailing the coming coronation of Charles, Prince of Wales. Not being British, or of an age to see Queen Elizabeth crowned, I found it interesting reading. Here’s a few highlights that captured my attention: Charles’ coronation takes months for others to plan; every detail will be orchestrated; and it will be expensive. The common people will have no access to him – fellow royalty and others deemed worthy will be close enough to witness the event on the morning of May 6. He’ll wear two crowns briefly: one is the Imperial State crown, which is purple; the other is the crown of St. Edward, representing the idea that he is subject to no one except God. He’ll hold a scepter, symbol of the crown’s power and good governance, and the Sovereign’s Orb, symbol of Godly power. He’ll have a royal red robe, trimmed with fur, placed on him and he’ll sit on a golden throne. Religious leaders will anoint him with oil, and he’ll take vows. King Charles III will reign over England and the Commonwealth… for a relatively short period of time since he’s already a senior citizen at age 74. But after the day’s pageantry he’ll put on his pajamas and gratefully lay down on his mattress hoping for a good night’s sleep like the rest of us.
Reading Psalm 29 about God’s eternal reign and then Charles’ coronation and earthly reign felt, for me, like the palest imitation. God needs no velvet robes, bejeweled scepters, or other symbols of His authority. God doesn’t keep commoners at a distance – he always makes sure there’s a straight path of accessibility for all to come to Him and into his kingdom. And God neither slumbers nor sleeps!
If Psalm 29 was condensed, its potent message would be “The Lord, our King, reigns forever”. Let that message settle into you, as it has in me this week. “The Lord, our King, reigns forever.” Think of that when you see world leaders or royal families using their power and influence. Their time is limited; the scope of what they do that is good, mediocre, or evil, will come to an end. The Lord, our King, shall reign forever.
Now, on to the other two Scriptures for the week: they build on the foundation of Psalm 29. The prophet Isaiah reminded Israel that they were chosen and called into a spiritual covenant with God. God promised to watch over them as they accepted the mission of telling other people and nations about the Lord, the one true God.
Let’s pause here. Can you imagine living back then as a member of the house of Israel? Growing up, your elders would have told you that God gave your people the responsibility of telling the wider world about the reality of God. You would have grown up listening to astounding stories about your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You would have had a storehouse of powerful stories to share about God leading, protecting, and providing for your people.
Isaiah said the Lord wanted them to open people’s blind eyes, lead them out of what imprisons them, into the light and a new life. All that takes more than a few conversations. God was expecting them to be involved in others’ lives, showing up when bad things happened and mentoring them toward new choices and a dependence on God. They were to evangelize – share Good News – but if you’ve read much of the Old Testament, you’ll know that the nation of Israel fell short and turned away from God many, many times.
Moving on now to Acts 10, you’ll see that the message is consistent: “The Lord, our King, who reigns forever”, chose one nation, the people of Israel, to tell others about the new life God offers all people. Many generations passed, but very few people learned about God. So it was that a child was born, a son given… his name was Jesus. Near the end of his life, a wooden sign was made saying that He was King of the Jews, but He was much more than that. Jesus died on a cross, but God raised him up on the third day. Whosoever believes in him, who confesses their sin and invites Christ to be their Lord and Savior, shall be saved, becoming sons and daughters of God.
Enter Peter. Jesus made him head of the early church; his long, passionate sermon on Pentecost brought many people into a relationship with Jesus. God knew Peter needed to radically change in one area. He needed to unlearn some of what he’d been raised to follow, like ceremonial laws that required circumcision and eating only kosher foods.
Right before today’s passage, God sent Peter to Cornelius, a Gentile who feared God, gave money to the poor, and prayed regularly. Peter preached about Christ to him and his whole family; they all became believers and were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.
What made this a radical day for Peter was the fact that he’d been raised to believe that salvation was intended only for his people, Jews. Everyone else was outsiders, Gentiles. Peter never imagined crossing the threshold of a Gentile’s home, let alone telling them how they could enter into God‘s kingdom.
What changed Peter’s conviction was a vision from God. He was praying one afternoon, and God showed him that there should be no barriers keeping people separated from God. That faulty, inherited idea of who belongs in God’s family and who’s excluded needed to change. It was a proud division that needed to end. The truth Peter learned and lived from that day on was that there’s only one race: the human race.
Peter’s prejudices were learned. He’d grown from boy, to teen, to man, believing he had a favored status as a Jew. He never saw his bias as something to question, let alone change, because others he knew had similar views. I think it’s much easier to spot bias in other people than it is to see our own. Do you believe that you have biases? Are you open to learning who you might unfairly judge? Would you be willing to change if you learned your assumptions were wrong?
God, who sees all truth, wants us to walk in truth. I believe that one of the most important ways Christians today can get people’s attention and keep their interest is to be known as people who don’t discriminate, unfairly judge, or show bias toward others. Consider for a moment the range of people you know. What you know about them is based on everyday conversations, photos they may show you and stories they share. You may also know how they spend their time, what groups they’re part of, and what they most treasure or respect in life. Taken together these things reveal beliefs, assumptions, and opinions – which may be fair or biased, false or accurate, hurtful or helpful.
It’s time for some practical application of today’s Scriptures. I recently learned there are six possible origins for prejudice. As I share them, think about how you may have seen these in the past. Consider whether you were the object of someone’s prejudice in one of these categories. And be open to the possibility that you may have harmed others, perhaps because you were taught to be prejudiced.
What Peter shows us this morning is that God wants us to unlearn some of what we were taught. He reminds us that God doesn’t show favoritism; there are never insiders and outsiders, superior and inferior ones. We are all on level ground, equal in our need to have someone tell us about the redeeming love of God found in Christ Jesus.
Now, I’ve saved the best news for last! It’s been said that Peter’s visit to Cornelius, the day and hour he shared the story of salvation in the home of a Gentile, was one of the most important moments in history. At long last, one devout man in Israel was fulfilling the ancient covenant, sharing the light of God with someone on the outside, from another nation. Peter unleashed the gospel that day, and more were added to God’s kingdom.
Once God confronted Peter about his bias, his learned discrimination, he understood for the first time in his life that Jesus Christ came to be the Savior of the world. The Lord of ALL. Thanks be to God… Amen.
I was reading Psalm 29 earlier in the week and found my thoughts interrupted by what I’d been reading in recent headlines and news articles. The psalm, written by King David, poetically and reverently described the power and majesty of God. He declared that the Lord sits enthroned; holy splendor surrounds him; angels praise him. David says that God, who has reigned from the beginning of time and is clothed in glory, will forevermore be King. The psalm ends with a worshipful prayer that God will strengthen His people and bless them with peace.
I closed my Bible and checked the news app on my iPad. There were many articles detailing the coming coronation of Charles, Prince of Wales. Not being British, or of an age to see Queen Elizabeth crowned, I found it interesting reading. Here’s a few highlights that captured my attention: Charles’ coronation takes months for others to plan; every detail will be orchestrated; and it will be expensive. The common people will have no access to him – fellow royalty and others deemed worthy will be close enough to witness the event on the morning of May 6. He’ll wear two crowns briefly: one is the Imperial State crown, which is purple; the other is the crown of St. Edward, representing the idea that he is subject to no one except God. He’ll hold a scepter, symbol of the crown’s power and good governance, and the Sovereign’s Orb, symbol of Godly power. He’ll have a royal red robe, trimmed with fur, placed on him and he’ll sit on a golden throne. Religious leaders will anoint him with oil, and he’ll take vows. King Charles III will reign over England and the Commonwealth… for a relatively short period of time since he’s already a senior citizen at age 74. But after the day’s pageantry he’ll put on his pajamas and gratefully lay down on his mattress hoping for a good night’s sleep like the rest of us.
Reading Psalm 29 about God’s eternal reign and then Charles’ coronation and earthly reign felt, for me, like the palest imitation. God needs no velvet robes, bejeweled scepters, or other symbols of His authority. God doesn’t keep commoners at a distance – he always makes sure there’s a straight path of accessibility for all to come to Him and into his kingdom. And God neither slumbers nor sleeps!
If Psalm 29 was condensed, its potent message would be “The Lord, our King, reigns forever”. Let that message settle into you, as it has in me this week. “The Lord, our King, reigns forever.” Think of that when you see world leaders or royal families using their power and influence. Their time is limited; the scope of what they do that is good, mediocre, or evil, will come to an end. The Lord, our King, shall reign forever.
Now, on to the other two Scriptures for the week: they build on the foundation of Psalm 29. The prophet Isaiah reminded Israel that they were chosen and called into a spiritual covenant with God. God promised to watch over them as they accepted the mission of telling other people and nations about the Lord, the one true God.
Let’s pause here. Can you imagine living back then as a member of the house of Israel? Growing up, your elders would have told you that God gave your people the responsibility of telling the wider world about the reality of God. You would have grown up listening to astounding stories about your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You would have had a storehouse of powerful stories to share about God leading, protecting, and providing for your people.
Isaiah said the Lord wanted them to open people’s blind eyes, lead them out of what imprisons them, into the light and a new life. All that takes more than a few conversations. God was expecting them to be involved in others’ lives, showing up when bad things happened and mentoring them toward new choices and a dependence on God. They were to evangelize – share Good News – but if you’ve read much of the Old Testament, you’ll know that the nation of Israel fell short and turned away from God many, many times.
Moving on now to Acts 10, you’ll see that the message is consistent: “The Lord, our King, who reigns forever”, chose one nation, the people of Israel, to tell others about the new life God offers all people. Many generations passed, but very few people learned about God. So it was that a child was born, a son given… his name was Jesus. Near the end of his life, a wooden sign was made saying that He was King of the Jews, but He was much more than that. Jesus died on a cross, but God raised him up on the third day. Whosoever believes in him, who confesses their sin and invites Christ to be their Lord and Savior, shall be saved, becoming sons and daughters of God.
Enter Peter. Jesus made him head of the early church; his long, passionate sermon on Pentecost brought many people into a relationship with Jesus. God knew Peter needed to radically change in one area. He needed to unlearn some of what he’d been raised to follow, like ceremonial laws that required circumcision and eating only kosher foods.
Right before today’s passage, God sent Peter to Cornelius, a Gentile who feared God, gave money to the poor, and prayed regularly. Peter preached about Christ to him and his whole family; they all became believers and were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.
What made this a radical day for Peter was the fact that he’d been raised to believe that salvation was intended only for his people, Jews. Everyone else was outsiders, Gentiles. Peter never imagined crossing the threshold of a Gentile’s home, let alone telling them how they could enter into God‘s kingdom.
What changed Peter’s conviction was a vision from God. He was praying one afternoon, and God showed him that there should be no barriers keeping people separated from God. That faulty, inherited idea of who belongs in God’s family and who’s excluded needed to change. It was a proud division that needed to end. The truth Peter learned and lived from that day on was that there’s only one race: the human race.
Peter’s prejudices were learned. He’d grown from boy, to teen, to man, believing he had a favored status as a Jew. He never saw his bias as something to question, let alone change, because others he knew had similar views. I think it’s much easier to spot bias in other people than it is to see our own. Do you believe that you have biases? Are you open to learning who you might unfairly judge? Would you be willing to change if you learned your assumptions were wrong?
God, who sees all truth, wants us to walk in truth. I believe that one of the most important ways Christians today can get people’s attention and keep their interest is to be known as people who don’t discriminate, unfairly judge, or show bias toward others. Consider for a moment the range of people you know. What you know about them is based on everyday conversations, photos they may show you and stories they share. You may also know how they spend their time, what groups they’re part of, and what they most treasure or respect in life. Taken together these things reveal beliefs, assumptions, and opinions – which may be fair or biased, false or accurate, hurtful or helpful.
It’s time for some practical application of today’s Scriptures. I recently learned there are six possible origins for prejudice. As I share them, think about how you may have seen these in the past. Consider whether you were the object of someone’s prejudice in one of these categories. And be open to the possibility that you may have harmed others, perhaps because you were taught to be prejudiced.
- Prejudice can be racial (based on the color of someone’s skin, or certain on physical characteristics).
- Prejudice can be ethnic (based on someone’s country of origin).
- Prejudice can be societal (based on criteria like physical appearance, wealth, popularity, job status, education, where one lives, etc.).
- Prejudice can be shown to someone with a criminal record (rejection for a job, refusal to lease an apartment, false stereotypes of those who have been incarcerated, etc.) .
- Prejudice can be based on people’s behavior. (Falsely assuming someone in a wheelchair is not only physically impaired, but mentally as well; people making fun of or mimicking differently abled persons; parents unfairly judged if their clinically diagnosed child acts out in public, etc.)
- Finally, prejudice can be based on people’s religious beliefs. (Were broad, false assumptions made about all Muslims after 9/11? Can there be bias against faith communities where people speak in tongues? Do some judge burqas negatively, ignorant of its holy origin related to modesty?)
What Peter shows us this morning is that God wants us to unlearn some of what we were taught. He reminds us that God doesn’t show favoritism; there are never insiders and outsiders, superior and inferior ones. We are all on level ground, equal in our need to have someone tell us about the redeeming love of God found in Christ Jesus.
Now, I’ve saved the best news for last! It’s been said that Peter’s visit to Cornelius, the day and hour he shared the story of salvation in the home of a Gentile, was one of the most important moments in history. At long last, one devout man in Israel was fulfilling the ancient covenant, sharing the light of God with someone on the outside, from another nation. Peter unleashed the gospel that day, and more were added to God’s kingdom.
Once God confronted Peter about his bias, his learned discrimination, he understood for the first time in his life that Jesus Christ came to be the Savior of the world. The Lord of ALL. Thanks be to God… Amen.